Polygonal carton construction



Jan. 26, 1960 E. c. PELLATON POLYGONAL CARTON CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1958 40&

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INVENTOR. Ernest C. Pellaton Fwy u Attorneys Jan. 26, 1960 E. c. PELLATON POLYGONAL CARTON CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1958- INVENTOR. Ernest C. PeIIaton Attorneys Jan. 26, 1960 E. c. PELLATON POLYGONAL CARTON CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 20, 1958 INVENTOR. Ernest C. Pellaron Attorneys Jan. 26, 1960 E. c. PELLATON 2,922,562

PQLYGONAL CARTON CONSTRUCTION Filed June 20. 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Ernesf C. Pellaron BY3- Y +${A Attorneys Jan. 26, 1960 E. c. PELLATON 2,922,562

POLYGONAL CARTON CONSTRUCTION Filed June 20, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Ernest C. Pellaron Attorneys United States Patent 0 POLYGONAL CARTON CONSTRUCTION Ernest C. Pellaton, Larkspur, Califi, assignor to Fibreboard Paper Products Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20, 1958, Serial No. 743,324

13 Claims. (Cl. 229-41) This invention relates to polygonal containers having an even number of more than four side walls which can be readily made of flexible sheet material, desirably paperboard, and which are particularly adapted for ready erection from collapsed state.

The container of this invention is an improvement upon the carton construction described and claimed in United States copending application, Serial No. 425,616, filed April 26, 1954, by the present inventor, which issued on November 4, 1958 as Patent No. 2,858,968.

The present invention, briefly stated, comprises a carton which has the cross-sectional shape of a regular hexagon and which is provided with a so-called automatic bottom structure. The present carton may be fabricated from a fiat blank into a collapsed flattened condition and transported in such collapsed condition to the site where the carton is to be erected and filled. Upon erecting the carton, the bottom structure and side walls thereof automatically assume their proper position without requiring the application of any setting up force to the interior of the carton to effect proper positioning of the bottom structure relative to the side walls.

Another feature of the construction of the bottom structure of the carton is the fact that, as the collapsed carton is erected for use, the side edges of such structure automatically move into proper mating relation with the inner surfaces of the sidewalls of the carton without the necessity of further gluing or interlocking of tabs and the like. This materially facilitates erecting the carton and filling the same.

Yet another feature of the construction of the bottom structure of the carton is the fact that such structure includes a full width bottom panel which completely closes the carton bottom when erected. Such bottom panel has opposite generally triangular projections or tips which are deformable when the bottom panel side edges move into mating relation with certain of the side wall panels of the carton. Such tips are frictionally engaged against junctures of adjacent side wall panels whereby the bottom panel is frictionally locked in a plane substantially perpendicular to such side wall panels.

Also, this construction permits a tighter fit of the bottom panel with the side wall panels thereby adding to the rigidity of the bottom panel and preventing leakage through the bottom at the points of contact of the locking tips with the side wall junctures.

Additionally, bottom side flaps are provided at op posite portions of the bottom panel which are hingedly carried by adjacent pairs of side wall panels. Such side flaps are adhesively connected together and underlie the bottom panel along the sides thereof which are not hingedly connected to the side wall panels of the carton to complete the aforementioned bottom structure. These additional flaps of the bottom structure also lend further rigidity to the bottom of an erected carton and cooperate therewith to prevent leakage.

In an alternative aspect of the construction of the carton, there is provided a cover which is an integral "ice part of the blank from which the carton is fabricated, which lends itself readily to be closed at the site of use after the carton is filled.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, forming the specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of the body blank of the carton embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the carton with panels thereof being shown disconnected and partly collapsed, to illustrate its construction;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the partially collapsed carton as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the fabricated carton shown in partially collapsed state for clarity;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the carton in its erected state;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the erected carton illustrating details of the bottom construction thereof;

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of an erected carton and a telescopic cover which may be used to close the same;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blank from which a modified form of the carton is fabricated which includes an integral top closure cover therefor;

Fig. 9 is an isometric view of an open erected carton formed from the blank of Fig. 8 with the cover shown open. The cover flaps and locking tab and the body dust flaps are shown in normal position in solid lines and in closed position in phantom lines;

Fig. 10 is an isometric view of the erected carton of Fig. 9 with the cover closed and with parts cut away to illustrate the closed cover construction.

The completely erected carton, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, comprises a regular hexagonally shaped carton body, generally designated 10, having an open top and a closed bottom. The open top is adapted to receive telescopically a conventional hexagonally shaped cover C which closely embraces the outer surfaces of the side walls of the carton. Such a telescopic cover may be of the type disclosed in United States Patent 1,451,963 issued to G. E. Scruby on April 17, 1923.

At the site of use, the carton is erected 'from the flattened collapsed state, the body and bottom structure automatically assuming their proper erected positions so that the carton may be filled with its intended contents, such as ice cream. After filling, the cover C is placed over the top of the body to seal in the contents. In this latter connection, the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8-10 provides a cover integral with the carton body for closing the open top of the carton.

The blank for the carton body 10 is illustrated in Fig. l and desirably is formed of paperboard. For the hexagonal carton illustrated herein, a first group 11 of three rectangular body sidewall panels 12, 14 and 16 is provided. The sidewall panels are hingedly connected by parallel fold lines 18 so that they are arranged in sideby-side relationto form one-half of the hexagonal carton body when in the collapsed or erected state.

A second group 19 of three side by side rectangular body sidewall panels 20, 22 and 24 is provided with such sidewall panels being hingedly connected together by fold lines 26 to form the other half of the carton body when in the collapsed or erected state. The size of each of panels 20, 22 and 24, of the second group 19 desirably the same as the panels 12, 14 and 16 of the first group The first and second groups of sidewall panels are arranged on opposite sides of a generally hexagonal bottom panel 28 with the centrally intermediate panel of each group hingedly connected thereto along opposite parallel hinge or fold lines 30 and 32 respectively. Thus one pair of opposite parallel side edges of the bottom panel 28 is hingedly connected to the intermediate sidewall panels 14 and 22 along the fold lines 30 and 32, respectively, so that the bottom panel extends therebetween.

The endmost body panels 20 and. 24 of the second group have hingedly connected thereto narrow glue flaps 34 and 36, respectively, along respective fold lines 38 andAl}. The lower edge 42 of each of the flaps 34 and 36 may be slightly beveled, as shown. Along the outer edge of each of the sidewall panels of groups 11 and 19 is a substantially rectangular carton top reinforcing flap 44 which is hingedly connected thereto along transverse fold line 46. Individual top reinforcing flaps 44 are separated from one anotherby cuts ,or slits 48. which extend inwardly from the top margin of the flaps to the line 46. Such slits 4-8 are substantial continuations of the fold lines which separate adjacent sidewall panels of the carton.

Along the edges of endmost panels 12 and 16 of the first group of sidewall panels 11 opposite the top'reinforcing flaps 44 are a pair of complementary shaped bottom side flaps t) and d2 hingedly connected along fold lines 54 and 56, respectively, to such sidewall panels 12 and 16. Flaps 50 and 52 project outwardly from the first group of sidewalls 11 toward the second group 19, and are of generally triangular shape and have rounded apices 58 which are disposed outwardly of an opposite pair of side edges 60 of bottom panel 28.

Each of side flaps 5i and 52- includes a small inwardly projecting tab portion 64 adjacent the pair of opposite side edges 60 of bottom panel 28 at their corner juncture with fold line 30. A slit 66 separates the free end of each of tab portions 64 from the adjacent side edge 60 of the bottom panel 28 and extends to the juncture of fold line 30 with side edge 60. Tab portions 64am provided to enhance sealing of an erected carton at the aforementioned corner juncture as shown in Fig. 5.

A second pair of bottom side flaps 68 and 79, substantially complementary in shape, are hingedly connected to endmost sidewall panels 20 and 24, respectively, of the group of sidewall panels 19 along fold lines 72 and 74, respectively. Flaps 68 and 70 are somewhat triangular in configuration and extend outwardly from those edges of panels 20 an 24 which are opposite reinforcing flaps 44 in a direction generally toward the bottom side flaps 50 and 52 connected to panels 12 and 16. Flaps 68 and 7%) curve away from the intermediate sidewall panel 22 and are spaced outwardly from a pair of opposite side edges 76 of the bottom panel 28.

Flaps 68 and 70, respectively, carry at their outer ends glue tabs 78 and 79, respectively, hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 80. Fold lines 80 extend obliquely relative to fold lines 72 and 74, and each extends across the respective flaps 68 and 70 from opposite outermost corners of the endmost sidewall panels 20 and 24.

It should be understood that glue tabs 78 and 79 are opposite flaps 50 and 52 so that faces of tabs 78 and 79 may be glued to associated faces of flaps 5t and 52 when the carton is fabricated. As can be seen from Fig. 5, desirably the outer faces of flaps 5t) and 52 are secured to the inner faces of flaps 78 and 79.

Bottom side flaps 63 and 79 each have a small inwardly projecting tab portion 82, similar to and for the same purpose as tab portions 64 of the flaps 50 and 52, located at the juncture of the opposite side edges '76 of bottom panel 28 with the fold line 32, and extending along such side edges. A slit 84 separates the free end of each of tab portions 82 from the adjacent edge 76 of the bottom panel. Tabs 82 also assist in sealing carton corners against leakage as shown in Fig. 5.

With respect to the full width hexagonal bottom panel 28, a central transverse fold lineSfiis provided by a score in the outer face thereof which extends thereacross between the corner junctures of the pairs of opposite side edges 60 and 76. Parallel score lines 88 and 90 are provided adjacent opposite ends of the fold line 86 and extend perpendicularly thereto between adjacent portions of the pairs of opposite side edges 60 and 76 to define bases of triangularly shaped, enlarged locking tips 92 and 94, respectively. The sides of the triangularly shaped locking tips terminate at apices 96 which provide opposite corners of the bottom panel 28 and provide an outwardy projecting enlargement of the opposite side edges 60 and 76 at their junctures. As shown in Fig. 1, the coverging sides of triangular tips 92 and 94 are not straight line continuations of side edges 60- and 76 of bottom panel 28 but such sides digress slightly from the straight line direction to provide the enlarged tips illustrated.

.In the erected carton locking tips 92 and 94 will have their apices 96 firmly engaged and wedged in the corners provided at the junctures of sidewalls 12, 20 and 16, 24. The tips are capable of moving slightly upwardly out of the plane of bottom panel 28 along the score lines 88 and 90. As a result, the tips can conform more easily to the corners and will fill the corners to prevent leakage of the carton at these locations. The tips also assist in maintaining the carton erected in that the frictional locking engagement of the tips with opposite corners imparts additional rigidity to the carton. This construction is best illustrated in the somewhat exaggerated view of Fig. 6 wherein the locking tips are shown filling opposite carton corners.

In the fabrication of the carton from the body blank as shown in Fig. l, a series of folding, gluing and pressing steps is accomplished in any suitable manner, either by hand or by conventional automatic means. Upon assembly of the blank into a connected carton, such carton desirably is collapsed with a group of three side walls forming each side of the collapsed structure and with the bottompanel and bottom side flaps folded inwardly between the sidewall groups as shown in Fig. 4.

A carton blank may be fabricated into a connected carton by bringing opposite groups of sidewall panels 11 and 19 into facing relationship and thereafter moving the endmost panels of each group towards each other by bending along fold lines 18 and 26 to provide a substantially hexagonal body. In such position, glue flaps 34 and 36 are adjacent sidewall panels 12; and 16, respectively, and desirably are secured to the inner surfaces thereof with any suitable adhesive or other fastening means. In such condition, the sidewalls extend upwardly from and normal to bottom panel 28.

Bottom side flaps 50 and 52 are folded to underlie bottom panel 25} and when in such position, glue tabs 78 and 79 are folded into engagement with such side flaps and are adhesively secured to the outer faces thereof to maintain flaps 5d and 52 in operative engagement with the other pair of bottom side flaps 68 and 70. This arrangement is shown in Fig. I

It should be noted that the fold lines between glue tabs 73 and 79 and side panels 68 and 7t) are positioned to substantially overlie and be in alignment with fold line 86 of bottom panel 28. That is, fold lines 80 form substantial continuations of fold line 86. As a result, the bottom structure may be folded inwardly along such fold lines to the collapsed condition. It is in such collapsed condition that cartons are maintained for shipment and storage.

Top reinforcing flaps 44 are reversely folded to engage the outer surfaces of the respective sidewalls and are adhesively secured thereto to strengthen the carton and to build up the same to enhance a tight engagement with telescopic cover C intended for use therewith.

The foregoing describes one manner in which a carton may be fabricated from a flat blank but other sequences and methods may be used also.

Fig. 4 illustrates the carton in partially collapsed state for purposes of clarity. In fully collapsed state, the car- '5 ton is a substantially rectangular, relatively thin packet formed with'all of the bottom side flaps and glue tabs and the bottom panel 28 folded inwardly and concealed between opposing groups of side walls of the carton. In this connection, since the score lines 80 and 86 are on the outside faces of their respective panels or flaps, this facilitates inward folding of such parts.

When it is desired to erect the carton, this can be readily accomplished by simultaneously pushing inwardly on the end portions of the collapsed carton in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 4. This causes the full bottom panel 28 to unfold automatically on fold line 86 and move with intermediate side walls 14 and 22 from its collapsed position to the substantially flat erected position shown in Fig. 5. At the same time, the connectedtogether side flaps 50, 68 and 52, 70 will also move from their inwardly folded position in Fig. 4, to the substantially coplanar position shown in Fig. along the fold lines 80 as the side walls to which they are hingedly connected move outwardly in response to pressure on opposite portions of the carton.

In this latter connection, it will be noted from Figs. 2, 4 and 5, that the arrangement of the bottom side flaps is such that in the set up or erected carton the adhesively connected flaps 50, 68 and 52, 70 are hingedly connected to opposite adjacent pairs of carton body side walls 12, 20 and 16, 24, respectively, so as to immediately underlie bottom panel 28 along the opposite pairs of side edges 60 and 76 thereof. Since the opposite pairs of edges 60 and 76 are not connected to the side walls, it will be apparent that the underlying bottom side flap and tab arrangement will effectively reinforce the bottom 28 at these points and will also prevent leakage through the carton along the non-connected side edges 60 and 76 of the bottom panel. Thus, in the erected carton, bottom panel 28 provides a full width leak-proof panel overlying the flaps 50, 52, 68 and 70 and at the same time it automatically unfolds from the collapsed state of the carton without the necessity of manually applying force to the same from inside the carton.

Also, it will be noted that in moving from its folded, collapsed condition to the substantially fiat condition in the erected container, bottom panel 28 will have its opposite pairs of side edges 60 and 76 engage the inner surfaces of side walls 12, 16, 20 and 24 in substantially mating relation thereto adjacent their lower margins.

The enlarged locking tips 92 and 94 will be deformably pressed into the corners defined by the junctures of the side walls 12, 20 and 16, 24, respectively, adjacent their lower margins so as to frictionally engage thereagainst and effectively seal the corners against leakage. Tips 92 and 94 further will supply a tension across the bottom 28, by their frictional engagement with the carton opposite corners, so as to impart greater rigidity to the bottom and the carton as a whole.

Although the carton bottom structure comprising bottom panel 28 and the adhesively secured bottom side flaps 59, 68 and 52, 70, may be bowed slightly inwardly in the erected condition, as shown in Fig. 5, subsequent filling of the erected carton with its intended contents, such as ice cream, completely flattens the bottom structure into a substantially horizontal plane due to the weight of the filling material. As the bottom structure of the carton body is further urged into a flat plane, locking tips 92 and 94 will be even more firmly pressed into frictional engagement with the carton side Wall corners and conformably molded thereinto. As has been noted, the locking tips are capable of movement out of the plane of the bottom panel 28 along the score lines 88 and 90 into firm frictional engagement with the side wall corner junctures.

The described arrangement of the parts permits automatic formation of the bottom in a carton which has an even number of more than four sides (shown as being hexagonal) and also provides a multi-layer bottom construction which is strong and prevents leakage.

The blank from which a modified carton is to be fabricated is shown in Fig. 8. This blank, generally indicated at 100, is substantially the same in principle as the body blank of Fig. 1, but differs therefrom in that there is provided an integral cover panel 102 of regular hexagonal shape, and an according modification in the carton top flap construction. Those portions of the blank of Fig. 8 which are identical with corresponding portions of the blank of Fig. 1 are identified by the same reference numerals to which primes have been added.

Cover panel 102 is hingedly connected along fold line 104 to the intermediate panel 22' of the first group 11' of three side wall panels 20', 22' and 24' so as to extend freely outwardly therefrom in the direction away from the margin of panel 22' to which bottom panel 28' is hingedly secured. Along the. side edge 106 of cover panel 102, which is opposite and parallel to the fold line 194, a locking tab 108 is hingedly connected along fold line 110.

Cover flaps 112 and 114, respectively, are hingedly connected to the cover panel along the substantially opposite pair of side edges on each side of edge 106 which are defined by fold lines 116 and 118, respectively.

The reinforcing top flaps 44 which are connected to each of side wall panels 12, 14 and 16 in the blank em bodiment of Fig. 1 are omitted from the present modification. In their place is substituted a single dust flap 120 which is hingedly connected to the intermediate side wall panel 14' of the second group of three side wall panels 19' and extends freely outwardly therefrom. The side edges of dust flap 120 desirably are beveled and converge outwardly from fold line 122 along which such flap 120 is connected to panel 14'. Dust flap 120 is provided with an elongated slit 124 which extends thereinto from fold linelZZ. Slit 12 4 is located centrally of such fold line and provides an opening in dust flap 120 for the reception of locking tab 108 when the carton cover is closed.

A pair of dust flaps 126 and 128, similar in size and shape to dust flap 120 are hingedly connected along fold lines '46 to side wall panels 20' and 24 respec tively, of the group 11' of side wall panels. The edgm of dust flaps 126 and 128 converge outwardly from fold lines 46' and the inner of such converging edges extend adjacent and parallel to another pair of opposite side edges 130 and 132 of the cover panel 102. Such dust flaps are separated from the cover panel by slits 134 and 136.

It should be understood that the blank of Fig. 8 desirably is assembled to the flattened collapsed state for shipment and storage in the same manner as the blank of Fig. 1. When in such flattened state, the carton modification differs from the substantially flattened carton of Fig. 4 in that the cover panel 102, with its connected locking tab 108 and flaps 112 and 114, as well as dust flaps 120, 126 and 128, extend straight and unfolded beyond the top end of the collapsed carton. When the collapsed carton is fully erected, as shown in Fig. 9, the cover panel and dust flaps still extend unfolded beyond the carton top to allow unrestricted filling.

When it is desired to fully set up the carton modification from the collapsed state to the erected open condition of Fig. 9, opposite portions of the collapsed carton are pushed toward each other in the manner discussed previously so that the bottom structure of the carton body is automatically set in position.

With the carton in its erected open state, as shown in Fig. 9, the filling operation may be effected. If desired, during filling the cover and each of the dust flaps may be folded outwardly away from their associated side walls to provide unrestricted access to the carton top opening. To close the cover and seal the open top of the carton body, the cover is moved about the fold line 104 tow'ardthe open top of the container body and into closing relation thereto. During such movement, cover flaps 112 and 114 and tab 168 also are folded along their respective fold lines to the phantom line position of Fig. 9 wherein such tab and cover flaps extend at substantially right angles to the cover panel. Dust flaps 120, 126 and 128 similarly are folded inwardly of the carton to extend at substantially right angles to the associated carton side walls.

When the locking tab and respective flaps are so folded, cover 102 may be moved into engagement with the carton top so that locking tab 138 enters the slit 124 in dust flap 120 and the carton top overlies and contacts dust flaps 120, 126 and 128. When in such position, cover flaps 112 and 114 are positioned between opposite edges of dust flap 120 and dust flaps 126 and 128, respectively. When in such position, cover flaps 112 and 114 contact the inner surfaces of side walls 12' and 16' and extend substantially parallel thereto.

In this manner, a carton having an integral cover structure is provided which effectively closes the carton to protect the contents thereof. A closed carton is shown in Fig. with part thereof cut away to illustrate the interengaged cover structure construction.

The foregoing description discloses collapsible cartons of novel hexagonal configuration which are easily erected rom collapsed state and when erected provide a substantially leak-proof and strong container in which the bottom thereof is of single panel reinforced construction. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific examples herein illustrated and described, and that its scope is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A blank of foldable material from which a leakproof carton of hexagonal cross section may be erected without requiring insertion of a tool or the like into said carton for positioning bottom structure thereof during such erection, comprising two groups of side wall panels, the panels of each group being hingedly connected in sideby-side relation, each of said groups comprising three side wall panels of substantially equal size, a full bottom panel of substantially hexagonal configuration having a transverse fold line extending between two directly opposite corners thereof hingedly connected between and to the central panels of said groups whereby said groups are operatively connected to but spaced from each other, a bottom side flap hingedly connected to each of endmost panels of each group and being free of direct hinged engagement with said bottom panel, said side flaps ex- 1 tending generally towards each other on opposite sides of said bottom panel, each of two of said side flaps having a glue tab hingedly connected thereto along an obliquely extending fold line for adhesive engagement with the remaining two side flaps whereby said side flaps may be hingedly connected together to underlie and reinforce said bottom panel and prevent leakage when said carton is erected, said bottom panel including enlarged locking tips at said directly opposite corners thereof, said locking tips being adapted to be wedged into opposite corners formed by pairs of adjacent endmost side wall panels of said carton when erected to seal the carton against leakage and to strengthen the same.

2. The blank of claim 1 wherein each of said bottom side flaps also includes an inwardly extending tab portion separated from an edge of said bottom panel by a narrow slit and adapted to underlie a corner of said bottom panel to preclude leakage of the carton when erected.

3. The blank of claim 1 wherein a cover panel is integrally connected to the central panel of one of said groups of side wall panels, said cover panel being of boxagonal configuration and hingedly connected to the margin of said central panel opposite said bottom panel.

4. A hexagonal carton having hingedly connected side extending from a foldable automatic bottom walls structure which is transformable automatically from the folded condltion to the fully erected condition without requiring insertion of an erecting tool or the like into said carton for positioning said bottom structure for carton filling; said bottom structure comprising an integral foldable full bottom panel of substantialy regular hexagonal configuration having a fold line extending thereacross, and flap means underlying opposite corners of said bottom panel to reinforce said bottom panel and to preclude leakage from said carton, said bottom panel being hingedly connected to a bottom margin of each of directly opposite side walls of said carton, said bottom panel including enlarged locking and leakage preventing tips at opposite ends of said fold line wedged into opposite corners provided by the junctures of pairs of adjacent side walls of said carton; said flap means comprising bottom side flaps hingedly connected to said pairs of adjacent side walls and folded in pairs to underlie said bottom panel, each of said pairs of flaps including a glue tab hingedly connecting together the respective flaps of said pairs, said connected pairs of flaps being foldable inwardly along with said bottom panel whereby said carton may be collapsed into two opposing portions with said bottom structure positioned between said opposing portions when the carton is collapsed.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein an integral hexagonal cover is hingedly connected thereto at the end opposite said bottom structure for closing said carton to protect its contents.

6. A carton capable of being erected automatically from collapsed state solely to completely erected state by inward pushing of opposite ends of the carton when in such collapsed state and without requiring insertion of an, erecting tool or the like into said carton to effect such erection, and which in the erected state has the cross sectional shape of a regular hexagon, said carton comprising in said collapsed state six hingedly connected side walls with three walls oneach side of the collapsed carton; and an automatically foldable bottom structure hingedly connected to said walls comprising a full bottom panel of substantially regular hexagonal configuration having side edges each of which is of a length substantially equal to the width of said walls, said bottom panel being hingedly connected to a pair of opposite central walls of the collapsed carton, and a line of fold extending across said bottom panel between opposite junctures of adjacent pairs of side edges thereof, a pair of bottom side flaps hingedly connected to each pair of endmost walls of the collapsed carton, a bottom side flap of each pair having a tab portion hingedly connected thereto along an oblique fold line and secured to the other bottom side flap of such pair, each of said bottom side flaps being unsecured to said bottom panel, said bottom panel being folded along said line of fold and with said bottom side flaps lying between the sides of the collapsed carton, whereby when the carton is erected from collapsed state solely by pushing inwardly on said opposite ends said hingedly connected bottom side flaps automatically open without interference with said bottom panel and underlie said bottom panel to reinforce the same and preclude leakage of said carton.

7. The carton of claim 6 wherein said foldable bottom panel includes enlarged locking and leakage precluding tips at opposite ends of said line of fold which frictionally engage and wedge in opposite corners provided by the junctures of said endmost walls when said carton is erected.

S. The carton of claim 6 wherein an integral cover of substantially regular hexagonal configuration is hingedly connected to one of said side walls, said cover being movable about said hinged connection into engagement with the end of said carton remote from said bottom structure to close the same when the carton is erected.

9. A blank or foldable material from which a leakpr'oof carton of polygonal cross section having an even number of side walls greater than four and a foldable full bottom structure may be erected without requiring insertion of a tool or the like into said carton for positioning said bottom during such erection, comprising a first and a second group of side wall panels with the panels of each group being equal in number and being hingedly connected in side-by-side relation, each of said groups comprising at least three side wall panels of substantially equal size, a full foldable bottom panel of regular polygonal configuration having a plurality of side edges equal in number to the total number of side wall panels in both said first and second groups extending between and integrally connecting said first and second groups, said side edges a1 being substantially of the same length and substantially equal in length to the width of said side wall panels, said bottom panel being hingedly connected along a bottom panel edge to an intermediate wall panel of each group, said bottom panel having a line of fold extending transversely thereof whereby when said blank is assembled into a carton said bottom panel may be folded and said carton collapsed for storage and shipment, and a bottom side flap hingedly connected to each of endmost panels of each of said first and second groups, said side flaps being free of direct hinged connection with said bottom panel, the fiaps of opposite pairs of such flaps extending generally towards each other on opposite sides of said bottom panel, each of two of said side flaps having a securing tab hingedly connected thereto by means of which the side flaps of said opposite pairs may be hingedly connected together in an assembled carton for underlying and reinforcing said bottom panel and precluding leakage at corner portions thereof when said carton is erected and filled, said bottom panel and said side flaps being automatically positionable beneath one another without requiring the insertion of an erecting tool into said carton when the same is erected for filling.

10. The carton blank of claim 9 wherein each of said bottom side flaps includes a sealing tab portion extending therefrom toward an edge of said bottom panel and separated therefrom by a narrow slit, said sealing tabs being automatically positionable beneath corners of said bottom panel to preclude leakage when the carton is erected for filling.

11. A carton transformable automatically from the collapsed state to the fully erected state solely by applying pressure inwardly on opposite edges of said carton when the same is in said collapsed state and without requiring the insertion of an erecting tool or the like into said carton to effect such erection, comprising in the erected state at least six hingedly connected side walls providing said carton with the cross-sectional shape of a regular polygon, and a foldable bottom structure integrally connected with said side walls; said bottom structure comprising a full bottom panel of polygonal shape corresponding generally to the cross-section of said carton defined by said side walls, the edges of said bottom panel being equal in number to the number of said side walls and being of a length substantially equal to the Width of said side walls, said bottom panel being hingedly connected along a pair or opposite side edges thereof to a pair of opposite side walls and having a line or fold extending transversely thereacross so that the same is foldable and positionable between opposite groups or said side walls when said carton is in the collapsed state, and a bottom side flap hingedly connected directly to each side wall of opposite pairs of side walls defining opposite corners of said carton, said sidefiaps being free or" direct hinged connection with said bottom panel, adjacent pairs of said side flaps being t'iingedly secured together so as to be foldable along with said bottom panel when said carton is in the collapsed state, said side flaps underlying and supporting said bottom panel and precluding leakage of said carton.

12. The carton of claim 11 in which said bottom panel includes enlarged locking and leakage precluding tips at opposite ends of said line of fold which are frictionally engaged in and wedged in said carton opposite corners.

13. A carton transformable automatically from the collapsed state to the fully erected state solely by applying pressure inwardly on opposite edges of said carton when the same is in said collapsed state and without requiring the insertion of an erecting tool or the like into said carton to eflfect such erection, comprising in the erected state at least six hingedly connected side walls providing said carton with the cross-sectional shape of a regular polygon, and a foldable bottom structure integrally connected with said side walls; said bottom structure comprising a full bottom panel of polygonal shape corresponding generally to the cross-section of said carton defined by said side walls, the edges of said bottom panel being equal in number to the number of said side walls and being of a length substantially equal to the width of said side Walls, said bottom panel being hingedly connected along a pair of opposite side edges thereof to a pair of opposite side walls and having a line of fold extending transversely thereacross so that the same is foldable and positionable between opposite groups of said side Walls when said carton is in the collapsed state, and a bottom side fiap hingedly connected to each side wall of opposite pairs of side walls defining opposite corners of said carton, said side flaps being free of direct hinged connection with said bottom panel, adjacent pairs of said side flaps being hingedly secured together so as to be foldable along with said bottom panel when said carton is in the collapsed state, said side flaps underlying and supporting said bottom panel and precluding leakage of said carton, each of said side fiaps including a projecting tab portion extending in substantially planar relationship therewith, each such tab portion underlying a corner of said bottom panel for precluding carton leakage from each such corner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,929,941 Andrews Oct. 10, 1933 2,114,492 Horr Apr. 19, 1938 2,741,416 Hileman Apr. 10, 1956 

